Means providing a sliding surface



Sept. 9, 1969 A. SCHIPPER 3,465,653

MEANS PROVIDING A SLIDING SURFACE Filed 001.. 18, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. Alwin Sc hlpper ATTORNEYS p 1969 A. SCHIPPER 3,465,653

MEANS PROVIDING A SLIDING SURFACE Filed Oct. 18, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2HIHWI HHlHH H FIG.5.

mmvrqx. Alwin Schnpper BYM 2Z7:

ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent U.S. Cl. 94-7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A bed which provides a surface on which objects may slide, ina generally preferred direction, e.g., for use on a ski-slope. The bedis comprised of a number of structural elements arranged in a series ofrows, the rows being interconnected one behind the other to form aflexible mat. The structural elements abut each other side-by-sidewithin the rows, and the line of abutment so formed is staggered fromrow to row. The structural elements are comb-like articles having anumber of elastically deformable teeth extending upwardly from a base.The elements also include tubular lugs which extend in the preferreddirection from the base through which wires may be passed tointerconnect rows of elements.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a bed madeof elastic material which provides a surface on which objects such asskis or sleds may slide. The surface is made up of a number ofstructural elements having upwardly extending elastically deformableteeth. The structural elements are connected together in a series ofrows by means of wires in such a way that the lines separatingside-by-side abutting elements are staggered with respect to each otherfrom row to row.

One of the prior art beds which provides a sliding surface serves as aski mat and is made of rectangular plates having a side dimension ratioof approximately 2:1. The surfaces of the plates are provided with pinswhich extend upwardly and which are arranged in a number of rows, onebehind the other. On the lower side of each plate there is akeyhole-shaped groove running near to and parallel to each narrow side.Each plate thus forms a structural element which can be bound into a matwith wires disposed in the grooves running transverse to the slidingdirection. The structural elements are arranged checkerboard fashionwith corners of neighboring elements abutting each other so that,between every four elements, there is an empty space the size of asingle structural element. Since the width of the narrow side of eachstructural element is larger than half the width of a normal ski, thistype of a sliding bed, which is constructed as a discontinuous surface,is not especially suited for skiing, tobogganing and other types ofsports. The gaps or open spaces in the mat can sometimes lead to seriousinjury during a crash or fall. They also increase the danger ofaccidents themselves since they increase the chance that the plates betorn away from the supporting wires.

Larger structural elements manufactured of rubber and provided withupwardly extending pins are also known in the art. These elements aredesigned to be arranged directly in contact with each other in rows,forming a continuous surface. These rubber plate-shaped elements,however, must be laid or glued onto a special foundation, such as aplatform of wood. The installation of such a sliding bed is thereforerelatively costly and requires considerable time. The elasticity of sucha sliding bed is determined only by the material employed and by thepins.

Patented Sept. 9, 1969 "ice It is also known to provide ski jumps with asurface, on the jump slope portions as well as the chutes, comprised ofbrush-like structural elementsthat is, bristles joined together at oneedge-nailed on a foundation like shingles on a roof. Each structuralelement is displaced with respect to other structural elements so thatthe gaps between elements are covered; the bristles of each element thuslie flat on the foundation and lean in the preferred direction ofsliding. This mat does have good sliding properties in the direction inwhich the bristles point; however, whether with skiing or bobsledding,it does not permit the sliding object to satisfactorily steer. Such amat may also cause serious injury during a fall at those places wherethe bristles have been bent or displaced to expose the bristle endjoints and/or the nails in the brushes below.

Beds for providing a sliding surface for skiing have also been made ofbrush-shaped strips, having metal zigzag or wave-shaped moldings with aU-type configuration. The bristles here stand vertical on the foundationand there is a considerable distance between the metal moldings. As withthe sliding beds described above, serious injury can result with thisarrangement when persons accidentally fall.

Summary of the invention One object of the present invention, therefore,is to design a bed for providing a sliding surface in a given preferreddirection which has good sliding properties in the preferred direction,yet upon which changes of direction may be undertaken as desired.

Another object of the present invention is to design a bed for providinga sliding surface, for example, for skiing or tobogganing upon which aperson may fall without danger of injury.

Another object of the present invention is to design a bed for providinga sliding surface comprised of structural elements which make the bedeasy to manufacture, transport and install.

These and other objects which will become apparent in the discussionthat follows are achieved, according to the present invention, by makingthe bed for providing a sliding surface out of comb-like structuralelements having a plurality of upwardly extending elastically deformableteeth with tubular lugs extending in the preferred sliding directionconnected at the base of the teeth. In this way, the structural elementscan be arranged abutting each other side-by-side to form rows, and therows can be arranged one behind the other so that the lines of abutmentare staggered from row to row. The structural elements in thisconfiguration are held together by means of wires which pass through thetubular lugs which may also serve as spacers between the individual rowsof elements. This bed as so constructed achieves good sliding propertiessince the teeth of the individual structural elements are made to leanaway from the vertical in the preferred sliding direction. Because theteeth elastically deform beneath an object, leaving the teeth notsupporting weight higher than those beneath the object, an objectsliding over the teeth forms a kind of groove. This arrangement makes itpossible, for example, when skiing, to execute Christies and stem turnsfor an instantaneous change of direction. No injuries can occur in caseof a fall since first, the teeth project all the way to the base makinga soft mat, and second, the base includes no projecting parts.

An additional particular advantage of the bed according to the presentinvention is that once the structural elements are arranged in rows,they form a kind of carpet which can be easily roller and sotransported. When this bed is brought to the place where it is to beused it can, for example, be simply attached at the top of the slope.

After unrolling the bed down the slope it is ready for use without anyfurther means of attachment.

The comb-like construction of the individual structural elements affordsan especially high elasticity and flexibility since not only the teethbut also the base of the element which joins the teeth yields under aload. The tubular lugs which guide the wire and the wire itself are alsoflexible permitting movement of the structural element as a wholerelative to the neighboring elements.

Because the bed according to the present invention is continuous, itfurther eliminates injuries which might occur with the checkerboard-typemat. There is no danger that the individual structural elements be tornfrom this bed, even under high loads, since the lugs or spacerscompletely surround the supporting wire. By using the lugs as spacersbetween the rows, the distance between rows can be matched to thecorresponding load requirement by proper selection of the lug length.The higher the load the shorter can be made the row-to-row distance.

Especially When the comb teeth are bent in a preferred slidingdirection, the sliding bed according to the present invention can alsofind use in medicine. The bed may be used, for example, for massage-typetreatment of parts of the body over which it is made to slide.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a face view of a sectionof the sliding bed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a section of a structural element of thesliding bed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of two structural elements arranged andconnected one behind the other. One of the structural elements is shownin cross section.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of another embodiment of a structural element ofthe sliding bed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of two larger constructional sliding bed unitsjoined together, each unit being comprised of a number of individualstructural elements.

FIGURE 6 is a face view of two rows of structural elements illustratinghow the line of abutment between two srtuctural elements is displacedfrom row to row.

Description of the preferred embodiments Turning now to the drawings,and FIGURE 2 in particular, there is shown a section of the comb-likestructural element, according to the present invention, consisting ofthe teeth 1 connected together by means of a strip 2 serving as a base.A number of tubular lugs 3 running in the preferred sliding directionare constructed, for example, as bushings, and are molded onto the base2, as may best be seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. These lugs lie directly on afoundation, such as the ground, not shown. The lugs 3 serve as practicalspacers between the structural elements arranged in rows, one rowbehindthe other.

The teeth may be arranged so as to angle in the preferred slidingdirection. It is practical to make the teeth project in the foundationor ground plane a distance greater than the length of the tubularspacers 3. This insures that the teeth 1 of structural elementsconnected together in rows, one row behind the other, with connectingwires 4 overlaps, like shingles on a roof, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The connecting wires 4 which are passed through the tubular spacers 3provide a strong simple connection between the individual structuralelements. The wires also insure a softness and flexibility of the bed asa whole; they permit the bed to be rolled like a carpet for shippingand, at the place where the bed is to be placed in use, to be easilyunrolled for installation.

As is illustrated in FIGURE 4, the teeth 1 are preferably made thickeror reinforced with ribs at their lower extremities. They are constructedin the form of a thin wedge 9 tapering towards the tip, a shape thatexhibits a 4 special elastic deformability and protects againstaccidents.

FIGURE 1 shows a number of structural elements, according to the presentinvention, arranged side by side in rows, one row behind the other sothat the teeth 1 of one row overlap the teeth of the previous row.Consecutive rows are laterally displaced so that gaps between individualteeth are covered. The teeth 1 point in the preferred sliding directionwhich is marked by the arrow 6. The boundary lines 5 are drawncontinuously along the top of the teeth to better illustrate the roofingshingle-like overlapping as well as the lateral displacement of theteeth. These boundary lines 5 are in no way intended to representelements connecting the individual teeth, however. Rather, each tooth iscompletely independent of its neighboring teeth and, therefore,elastically deformable.

The preferred sliding direction given by the arrow 6 is the maindirection of travel of objects sliding over the bed. When the bed isused, for example, in sports such as skiing, tobogganing andbobsledding, this direction should be aimed down the slope. Thedesignation of the preferred sliding direction should not be understoodto place any limitation on the use of the mat since, in theory, it ispossible even to slide in the direction opposite to that indicated bythe arrow, although the sliding properties, in such a case, would beconsiderably worsened. In directions which deviate from the direction ofthe arrow 6 less than toward the left or toward the right, however, thechange in the sliding properties is only slight. Within this angularrange it is possible to execute all the usual skiing turns and figuresincluding the wedel.

FIGURE 6 is a view, similar to the view of FIGURE 1, which illustrateshow the individual structural elements are arranged and connectedtogether in rows, by means of the wires 4, so as to abut other elementsside by side. The lines of abutment in a given row are displaced withrespect to the lines of abutment of the rows in front of, and behind,the given row as shown.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a sliding bed composed of a number of individualstructural elements joined together by means of wires 4. The ends of thewires 4 are bent into eyelets 8 through which a transversely runningwire 7 is passed forming a complete unit of construction. The length andwidth of this unit of construction can be arbitrarily chosen to suit thepurpose for which the sliding bed is employed.

It is also possible to assemble beds which are too large to be easilyrolled and transported from a number of similar constructional unitslinked together at the place of installation. In this case the tubularlugs 3 can be connected close together so as to form a completelyuniform, unbroken surface. FIGURE 5 illustrates one way in which such aconnection can be accomplished.

The structural elements according to the present invention can be madeof any suitable elastically deformable material such as plastic. Thetubular lugs 3 may be designed, as with the embodiments described above,to serve as spacers between the individual rows of structural elements.

The sliding bed, according to the present invention, is not limited inits purpose to sports, such as skiing and tobogganing. It may also beemployed, for example, as a sliding chute or may serve to transportobjects, such as boxes, containers, etc. No additional elements, such asplates or the like, are required when the bed is used for sliding.

It will be understood that the above description of the presentinvention is susceptible to various modifications, changes, andadaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bed providing a surface on which objects may slide in a generallypreferred direction, said bed comprising, in combination:

(a) a plurality of structural elements arranged in a plurality of rowswhich extend transverse to said preferred direction, each rowincorporating a plurality of said elements, the latter abutting eachother in end-to-end relationship and the rows of elements being arrangedwith the abutting of elements being staggered fro-m row to row, eachelement being comblike and having a base strip and a plurality of upwardly extending elastically deformable elongated teeth constitutingsaid surface;

(b) said elements having tubular lugs which extend in said preferreddirection and between consecutive rows of base strips, and

(c) wires connecting said rows of elements together and extendingthrough said tubular lugs.

2. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are parallel.

3. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are inclined from thevertical toward said preferred direction.

4. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular lugs an integralserve as spacers between said rows of elements.

5. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein the ends of said wires connectingsaid rows of elements together are provided with eyelets and said bedfurther comprises a connecting member extending transverse to saidpreferred direction for connecting said eyelets together.

6. The bed defined in claim 5 wherein said eyelets are formed of saidwire.

7. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are tapered such thatthey become thinner in the direction 5 of their upwardly extending ends.

8. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are reinforced, saidreinforcement extending downwardly to the base of said teeth.

9. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said teeth are 10 dimensionedbroader in the direction transverse to said preferred direction than insaid preferred direction.

10. The bed defined in claim 1 wherein said structural elements are madeof an elastically deformable plastic.

15 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,526,267 2/1925 Dessau.1,766,073 6/1930 Hartzler 941.5 20 2,082,563 6/1937 Bauer 94-7 2,174,71610/1939 Bethell. 2,327,640 8/1943 Hendry 94-11 JACOB L. NACKENOFF,Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

